Brunswick South Primary School Policy Document – First Aid Page 1

FIRST AID POLICY Brunswick South Primary School

Policy Implementation Date: August 2015

Review Date: June 2018

Responsible for Review Policy Subcommittee

Purpose To ensure that:

Staff members are familiar with the school’s first aid procedures

Staff members observe their duty of care to students by providing first aid treatment within the limits of their skill, expertise, training and responsibilities

The school supports first aid by providing asthma kits, first aid kits, first aid rooms, and by managing blood spills and bleeding students and syringe disposal/injuries

The school responds swiftly to medical emergencies and reports medical emergencies and incidents as required.

Scope This policy relates to provision of first aid primarily to students, but also to staff, volunteers, and visitors to Brunswick South Primary School.

Definitions First aid involves emergency treatment and support to:

Preserve life through:

o clearing and maintaining open airways

o restoring breathing or circulation

o monitoring wellbeing until the person recovers or is transferred into the care

of ambulance paramedic, doctor or nurse

Protect a person, particularly if they are unconscious

Prevent a condition worsening

Promote recovery.

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A Student Health Support Plan must be completed for each student with an identified health

care need other than anaphylaxis. It outlines how the school will support the student’s health

care needs.

An ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis is a student’s anaphylaxis emergency response plan in a

format approved by the Australasian Society of Clinical Immunology and Allergy.

An Individual Anaphylaxis Management Plan must be completed by the school for each

student who has been diagnosed at risk of anaphylaxis.

Compliance requirements Brunswick South Primary School will comply with:

The Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004 (Vic)

The Department of Education and Training’s First Aid and Infection Prevention Control Procedure

Guidelines related to first aid in schools as published and amended by the Department of Education and Training, including the School Policy and Advisory Guide.

Policy points This policy provides information about:

Meeting first aid needs – an overview of procedures

First aid training requirements

First aid rooms

Major first aid kits and portable first aid kits

School nurses and first aid coordinators

Managing open wounds and blood spills

Managing syringe disposals

Medical emergencies.

Meeting first aid needs

The school must:

Provide first aid facilities

Ensure sufficient staff members are trained in first aid under the provisions of the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004 and the Department of Education and Training’s First Aid and Infection Prevention Control Procedure.

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The procedure for meeting student first aid needs is:

Circumstance Description

Identified

health need

First aid requirements for students with identified health care needs should be

explained in the Student Health Support Plan, Asthma Care Plan, Individual

Anaphylaxis Plan or ASCIA Action Plan for Anaphylaxis.

Student feeling

unwell

If a student feels unwell , the school should: assess a range of signs and symptoms including:

- whether the student has a fever - whether the students skin feels warm/hot to touch - if the student looks pale but has flushed cheeks - whether the student indicates that they feel hot Note: The specific temperature is not the main indicator

take action based on the summary of signs and symptoms immediately seek emergency assistance, if there is:

- any doubt about the student’s condition, or - a sense that the student’s condition is deteriorating.

See: Medical Emergencies

Student has a

minor injury

When using an icepack to treat a minor injury such as a bump or bruise: do not apply directly to skin remove if pain or discomfort occurs and use a cold compress (towel or cloth

rinsed in cold water) as an alternative.

Other injuries

When an injury causes a nose bleed then an ice pack should not be used instead

a cold compress may be used.

In the following circumstances an icepack/cold compress should not be used and

medical help should be sought (usually by calling an ambulance): loss of consciousness, even if only briefly a less than alert conscious state suspicion of a fracture suspicion of a spinal injury damage to eyes or ears penetration of the skin deep open wounds.

Major injuries or illnesses, and any head injuries that occur during class time, recess or lunch

breaks, will be referred to the first aid-trained staff member on duty in the first aid room who

will manage the incident.

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Minor injuries only (such as scratches) will be treated by staff members on duty.

No medication will be administered to children without the express written permission of parents or guardians using the Medication Authority form. An overview of responsibilities for provision of first aid is provided at Appendix A.

Training

The school must ensure there is always a first aid officer who:

Can assist an injured or ill person

Has current qualifications covering all the school’s first aid requirements.

The Principal should ensure that First Aid Officers have completed recognised first aid training

that meets the requirements of Provide First Aid – HLTAID003 and complete and annual

refresher for Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) – HLTAID001.

The Principal must ensure relevant staff members receive additional training to meet student

health needs.

The process by which the Principal should identify training requirements is set out at:

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/health/Pages/firstaidneeds.aspx

First Aid Coordinator:

First Aid Coordinators undertake a range of responsibilities including:

Taking a lead role in supporting teachers and principals in health support planning Having knowledge of:

o all students with a support or management plan o the first aid response noted in the plans

Ensuring that student’s emergency contact details are up-to-date Ensuring all medications supplied by the student are within their use-by date Working with staff to conduct regular reviews of management strategies Risk assessments Developing strategies to raise awareness in the school community about health and

safety issues.

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First aid rooms:

The school must have facilities to allow provision of basic first aid care as well as first aid treatment such as minor cuts, scratches, bruising and for bodily injury. Facilities for first aid should allow:

Precautions against infection

Reassurance and comfort

Employee and volunteer health, safety and welfare

Associated record-keeping in accordance with privacy and confidentiality. At Brunswick South Primary School, a first aid room will be available for use at all times. The first aid room will meet at least the minimum requirements for a first aid room as set out in the Department of Education and Training First Aid and Infection Prevention Control Procedure.

The first aid room must allow for short-term supervision and the ability to summon further

assistance if required. The level of supervision required in the first aid room varies depending

on the case. (For example, supervision should be required for a student who has had a blow to

the head and is feeling dizzy, but may not be required for a student with a slight headache, who

needs a lie down.) Major first aid kits:

The school must:

Maintain at least one major first aid kit located in the first aid room/sick bay

Store any medications separately from the first aid kit including any prescribed or non-prescribed medication provided by a student’s parent/carer.

The recommended contents of the major first aid kit are listed at: http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/health/Pages/firstaidkit.aspx Portable first aid kits:

The school must maintain portable first aid kits for:

Excursions

Yard duty.

The recommended contents of the portable first aid kits are listed at:

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/health/Pages/portablefirstaid.aspx

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Managing open wounds and blood spills:

Teachers, staff and the Principal must be familiar with the school’s first aid procedures related to blood spills and bleeding students – refer Appendix C.

Managing syringe disposals

Teachers and the Principal must:

Be familiar with the school’s disposal procedures for used needles - refer Appendix D.

Actively discourage students from picking up needles or syringes.

Medical emergencies and medical advice

Emergency response

School staff must:

immediately contact emergency medical services in emergency situations (Call 000) be familiar with the school’s emergency procedures including those related to

excursions. The relevant procedure is at Appendix B.

Non-emergency response (medical advice)

Staff providing first aid may assess that an emergency response is not required, but medical

advice is needed. In these circumstances, the school should ask the parents/guardians or

emergency contact person to collect the student and recommend that advice is sought from a

medical practitioner. (For example, this response would apply if a student receives a blow to

the head but there are no signs of concussion, or if a student reports persistent aches and

pains.)

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Communication and reporting

Recording the administration of first aid treatment and incidents

When first aid has been administered to a student the incident is to be reported onto CASES21 (the school’s software system). When first aid treatment has been administered to an employee, the incident is to be reported onto eduSafe (the Department of Education and Training’s Incident Reporting & Hazard Management System). All incidents reported as a result of suspected/actual infection should be investigated using the Hazard/Incident Investigation Template (part of the OHS Risk Management system). Reporting of serious incidents

In the event of:

serious injury (injury requiring medical attention) to a student, parent, visitor or staff member at school, or

death of a student, parent, visitor or staff member at school

the school must call 000 immediately. After calling emergency services, in the event of a serious injury or death (and also in the case of a “near-miss” - an incident that very nearly lead to injury or death), the school should contact:

parents/guardians or the student’s emergency contact (if the incident relates to a student)

the Department of Education and Training’s Security Services Unit on (03) 9589-6266 for support and advice.

In addition, in the case of a non-student incident, the incident should be logged on eduSafe. The school must also notify Worksafe of incidents occurring at the school resulting in:

the death of a person

immediate medical treatment for o the separation of skin from underlying tissue o the amputation of any part of the body o a serious head injury or eye injury o the loss of a bodily function o serious lacerations

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o an electric shock o a spinal injury

immediate medical treatment as an in-patient in a hospital

medical treatment within forty-eight hours of exposure to a substance.

Communication with parents/carers

Parents/carers of an injured or ill student will be contacted to take the student home. Parents of all students who receive treatment in the first aid room will receive a completed form indicating the nature of the injury, any treatment given, and the name of the staff person providing the first aid. Any injuries to a student’s head, face, neck or back must be reported to parents/carers. Parents who collect children from school due to illness or injury must sign the child out of the school in a register maintained in the school office. At the commencement of each year, requests for updated first aid information will be sent home, including requests for any updated asthma, diabetes and anaphylaxis management plans, high-priority medical forms, and reminders to parents of the policies and practices used by the school to manage first aid, illnesses and medications throughout the year.

Related School Policies

Asthma Management

Anaphylaxis Policy

Medication Policy

Breaches

In the case of a breach of the Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004, a fine may be imposed on the school council as a body corporate.

Complaints

Refer Parent Complaints/Communication Policy.

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References: Department of Education and Training, First Aid and Infection Prevention Control Procedure,

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/health/Pages/firstaidneeds.aspx

Department of Education and Training, School Policy and Advisory Guide – First Aid

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/health/Pages/firstaid.aspx

Department of Education and Training, School Policy and Advisory Guide – Emergency and Critical Incident http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/management/Pages/emergency.aspx

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Appendix A Overview of first aid responsibilities

Principal Conducting a First Aid Risk Assessment to determine appropriate first aid arrangements for the workplace (the number of persons in the school must include employee and student numbers);

Allowing nominated first aid officers to attended required First Aid Training and relevant updates;

Having a first aid officer available: o at the school during normal working hours; o at other times when authorised DET programs are being conducted

unless appropriate safety requirements are provided, as detailed in the School Policy and Advisory Guide (SPAG).

Providing appropriate first aid kits, supplies and equipment;

Communicating first aid procedures and the location of supplies to all employees (this includes contractors, visitors and volunteer workers);

Providing information to employees on specific treatment requirements eg asthma management and allergic reactions (anaphylaxis);

Developing appropriate first aid action plans for students with specific conditions (eg epilepsy).

Employees Attending First Aid Training and required updates;

Knowing where ‘Student Health Support Plans’ are located on the SPAG – Health Support Planning Forms for specific medical conditions and affected persons;

Following Safe Work Procedures

Taking first aid action when necessary within the limits of their skill, expertise and training.

First Aid Officers Administering the sick bay/first aid room and its contents;

Monitoring persons receiving first aid treatment according to their condition;

Recording all first aid treatment. A copy of treatment provided will be forwarded with the patient where further assistance is sought;

Reporting any potential hazard to the Principal.

Affected Persons/Parents/

Carers

Informing the school of current medical conditions and providing emergency contact details;

Assisting the Principal, in consultation with relevant medical practitioner to develop a ‘Student Health Support Plan’;

Informing the Principal in writing of any prescribed medication required to be taken.

Reference: Department of Education and Training First Aid and Infection Prevention Control Procedure.

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Appendix B Procedure for first aid emergency response

Step Action

1 Remove all objects of danger and establish safety

2 Keep the injured child/person calm

3 Dial 000 for ambulance

4 Perform First Aid as required or directed by 000

5 Call parents or emergency caregivers (if the incident relates to a student)

6 A staff member remains with the injured child/person at all times, including in the ambulance

7 Alert the Principal

8 Contact the Department of Education and Training’s Security Services Unit on (03) 9589-6266 for support and advice

9

In the case of a student incident, the incident should be reported onto CASES21. In the case of a non-student incident, the incident should be logged on eduSafe

10 Notify Worksafe if required.

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Appendix C Procedures for treating bleeding students and managing blood spills

Treating bleeding students

The procedure for treating students who are bleeding is:

Step Action

1 Avoid contact with the blood while comforting the student, moving them to safety if required.

2 Put on single-use gloves.

3 Flush the wound using warm water.

4 Wash the wound using warm water and soap.

5

Pat dry the wound and apply a waterproof occlusive dressing ensuring the wound is covered

completely. If bleeding continues, apply additional pressure using either a hand or firm

bandage.

6 Remove any linen stained with blood or body fluids and substances. Place them in leak-proof plastic bags until they can be cleaned by a commercial laundry or linen cleaning service, or dispose of.

7 Remove gloves and place them in an appropriate biohazard container.

8 Wash hands in warm soapy water and rinse before pat-drying thoroughly.

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Managing blood spills

Blood spills should be treated as if the blood is potentially infectious.

All cuts and abrasions should be covered with a waterproof occlusive dressing at all times.

The procedure for managing blood spills is:

Step Action

1 Put on single-use gloves and avoid direct contact with blood or other body fluids.

2 Use paper towels to mop up the spill. Dispose of the paper towels in an appropriate biohazard container.

3 Wash the area with warm water and detergent, then rinse and dry the area.

4 Remove gloves and place them in an appropriate biohazard container.

5 Wash hands in warm soapy water and rinse thoroughly before pat-drying.

6

If re-usable items were used such as scissors or single-use tweezers, then an assessment must take place to consider how the item was used and determine the appropriate decontamination method. Example: If re-usable items are contaminated with blood of other body substances, they should be disposed of in a sharps or biohazard container. If they are not contaminated, they should be washed and dried. Single use items should be disposed of appropriately and replaced. For further advice contact the Department’s OHS Advisory Service on 1300 074 715.

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Appendix D Procedure for disposal of needles and syringes

The procedure for disposal of needles and syringes is:

Step Action

1

If the discarded syringe or needle is: accessible, continue with the disposal procedure not accessible:

- mark the area so that others are not at risk - supervise area - contact the Syringe Disposal Helpline on 1800 552 355.

2 Put on single-use gloves.

3 Place the disposal container on the ground next to the syringe.

4

Using tongs, pick up the syringe from the middle keeping the sharp end away from yourself

and place it in the disposal container, needle point down.

Note: 1. Never try to recap a needle, even if the cap is also discarded. 2. Long metal tongs can be used to reach difficult to access places.

5 Repeat step 4 for each individual needle or syringe.

6 Screw the lid of the disposal unit on firmly.

7 Remove gloves and place them in a plastic bag. Seal the bag and dispose of it in a rubbish

bin.

8 Wash hands in warm soapy water and dry thoroughly.

9

To dispose of the sharps disposal container, contact the: Syringe Disposal Helpline on 1800 552 355 for:

- advice about handling syringes - the location of the nearest local council syringe program or public disposal bin

local general practitioner local hospital.

Note: Disposal containers or syringes must not be put in normal waste disposal.

Note: The school should have an approved disposal container for discarded needles, stored out

of reach of staff, students and visitors. If an approved disposal container is not available, use a

hard-wall container. Do not use glass bottles.

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The procedure for treating needle stick injuries is available from:

http://www.education.vic.gov.au/school/principals/spag/health/Pages/syringe.aspx